April 19, 1912: Ismay, in scared whisper, tells how he escaped

Here is the complete text of this article from page 1 of The Denver Post, April 19, 1912:

ISMAY, IN SCARED WHISPER, TELLS HOW HE ESCAPED

‘There Were No Women on Deck, and as Boat Was Lowered I Got Into It,’ Reply to Senate Committee Probers.

London, April 19. — While memorial services for Titanic’s dead were being held in St. Paul’s cathedral Alan Berguine, a member of parliament, demanded that England join with the United States in a rigid investigation of the disaster. He said that on Monday in parliament he would ask Premier Asquith to have the British government join with the United States in an inquiry.

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New York, April 19.–The story of how the Titanic met its fate was told today to the United States senate committee investigating into the Titanic disaster by J. Bruce Ismay, managing director of the White Star line.

When asked the circumstances under which he left the boat, Mr. Ismay replied almost in a whisper:

“One of the boats was being filled. Officers called out to know if there were any more women to go. There were none. No passengers were on the deck. As the boat was being lowered I got into it.”

This story as it originally appeared in The Denver Post, April 19, 1912.

The details of the story were drawn out by Senator William Alden Smith, chairman of the special sub-committee charged with the examination of witnesses, and Senator Newlands, the other senator who came to New York to conduct the inquiry.

Mr. Ismay was accompanied by P.A.S. Franlin, vice president and Emerson E. Parvin, secretary of the International Mercantile Marine. Besides the committee, Representative Hughes of West Virginia, whose daughter, Mrs. Lucien P. Smith, was saved and whose son-in-law was lost, was present. Another spectator was Truman H. Newberry, former assistant secretary of the navy.

Adjusting his cuffs, Mr. Ismay was visibly nervous when he took the stand. He gave his age as 50 years. In response to a few formal questions, he said he sailed as a voluntary passenger on the Titanic.

Senator Smith began to ask the witness to detail his experience on the Titanic. Mr. Ismay interrupted, but Senator Smith continued. Then Mr. Ismay said he desired to express his sincere grief at the disaster and to welcome the fullest inquiry.

COMMITTEE INSISTS ON DEFINITE ANSWERS.

“Kindly tell the committee all the circumstances surrounding your voyage,” said Senator Smith. “Tell us as succinctly as possible, beginning with your boarding the vessel at Liverpool, your place on the ship and as many circumstances as possible to help this committee.”

“First, I wish to say that I court the fullest inquiry,” said Mr. Ismay. “This awful catastrophe, I must say at the outset, I greatly deplore. We have nothing to conceal, nothing to hide.

“The boat left Belfast, I think, on the first of April. She underwent her trials safely and arrived at Southampton on Wednesday, April 3, I think. We sailed on Wednesday, April 10, leaving Southampton at 12 o’clock noon. That evening, the Titanic reached Cherbourg, having run at about sixty-eight revolutions.

“We arrived at Queenstown Thursday noon. The Titanic was then running at 70 revolutions. The first day I think we made about 467 miles. The next day we increased the speed to 72 revolutions and I think we made 519 miles. The next day we increased to 75 revolutions and ran about 546 or 549 miles.

DENIES TITANIC WAS RUNNING FULL SPEED.

“The accident took place on Sunday night. The exact time I do not know because I was asleep. The ship sank, I am told, at 2:30.

“I understand you have been told the Titanic was running at full speed. It never had run at full speed.

“She was built to go 80 revolutions and had never been speeded up to that. We never had all her boilers working. It was our intention to speed the boat up to her full quota on Tuesday, but the catastrophe came to prevent it.”

Although he came on a “voluntary trip,” Mr. Ismay said his purpose was to see in what manner she could be improved upon. A report of the builder, Mr. Andrew, was on board Mr. Ismay said.

“Did he survive?” asked Mr. Smith.

“Unfortunately, no.”

Mr. Ismay said it was arranged between him and Captain Smith of the Titanic not to arrive at New York lightship before 5 a. m. Wednesday.

“There would have been no advantage to arriving earlier,” he added.

“Was there any attempt to lower the boats of the Carpathia to take on passengers after you went aboard her?” asked Senator Smith.

“I think so; I’ve been told so, but I do not know of my own knowledge.”

“It has been suggested,” Senator Smith continued, “that two of the lifeboats sank as soon as lowered. Do you know anything about that?”

HE DID NOT SEE SHIP SINK.

“I do not. I never heard of it and I think all the lifeboats were accounted for.”

“Did you see the Titanic sink?”

“I did not see the Titanic go down,” Mr. Ismay said, shaking his head mournfully. “I did not want to see her go down. I was rowing in the life boat all the time until we were picked up. I turned back once after we left the vessel. I saw her green light and never turned back again. I did not want to see the end.”

“Was there confusion apparent on the Titanic when you looked back?”

“I did not see any,” Mr. Ismay replied.

“All I saw was the green light the last time I looked.”

“After you left Captain Smith on the bridge did you see him again?”

“I did not.”

“Did you have any message from him?”

“None.”

“How many wireless operators were there on the Titanic?”

“I presume there were two,” said Mr. Ismay. “One is always on watch.”

“Did they survive?”

“I have been told one did, but I do not know whether it is true.”

“Were any of the crew enlisted men in the English navy?”

“I do not know.”

Mr. Ismay said he would have known if there had been an explosion on board but there was none.

In response to a question, the witness estimated the speed of the ship when she struck at 21 knots.

This story as it originally appeared in The Denver Post, April 19, 1912.

Senator Smith asked the witness if he had anything to do with selecting the crew for his lifeboat.

“I did not,” was the snappy reply.

“No rafts were on board because I presume they are not regarded as suitable,” the witness said, “replying to a question.

“Can you tell us,” Senator Smith asked, “anything about the inspection certificate that was issued for the Titanic before she sailed?”

“I know that the government inspection was thorough or the boat never could have sailed.”

“Do you know whether the Titanic had its proper number of lifeboats?”

“Yes, she had; I think there were twenty boats altogether.”

“Do you know whether the boat you were in had been taken from some other White Star ship?

“I did not notice the name on the oar or the boat, but I am sure it was a new lifeboat.”

Turning to the construction of the ship Mr. Ismay declared the ship was especially constructed so that, with any two of the larger compartments full of water, she would still float.

“If the ship had struck head-on she probably would be afloat today,” he added.

“Did any of the collapsible boats sink?”

“No sir.”

“Did you attempt to interfere with the working of the wireless on the Carpathia?”

“The captain probably will tell you I was not out of my room from the time I got into it until last night,” was the reply.

As the final question to his examination, Mr. Ismay was asked what he had on when he got into the lifeboat.

“A pair of slippers, a pair of pajamas, a suit of clothes and an overcoat,” he replied.

Mr. Ismay was asked to hold himself in readiness during the day for another call before the committee. Senator Smith announced it was desired to hear the captain of the Carpathia in the meantime.

“Robert Hutchins, a survivor, a quartermaster on the Titanic, says that all the lifeboats on board the ill-fated vessel except two got away. One was swamped and the other, a collapsible boat, failed to open and passengers clung to it in the water, using it a buoy.

The government’s inability to get early information regarding the loss of the Titanic through the wireless outfits of the scout cruisers Chester and Salem or the naval shore stations, has confirmed the navy department in its decision to press for legislation which will enable the government to assert control over all agencies, whether private or corporate, which may seek to restrain or interfere with the government officials in such cases.

Secretary Meyer, who was one of the parties to the conference recently on the subject of wireless control, is giving the subject much attention either from the navy department or the department of commerce and labor a bill soon will emerge which, it is hoped will be accepted by congress as a basis for action.

President Taft will not send a special message to urge congress using legislation to strengthen the present laws regulating supervision of steamship clearing from American ports. The president believes congress needs no such suggestion since the Titanic disaster.

Under agreement with Great Britain, the certificate of the Titanic that she had met with the requirements of the British board of trade would have been accepted in New York and the Titanic would have been allowed to clear again. The regulations of the United States, as applied to vessels that sail under the American flag or under the flags of nations not in the agreement are strict enough to compel the carrying of life saving equipment sufficient to take care of every passenger and every member of the crew.

An act of congress nullifying the existing agreement would make it impossible for officials of the department of commerce and labor to accept a certificate from any board of trade or similar organization unless the requirements of this country were met as well. Such action by congress was regarded as probable here today.

Kristen Iversen is the author of Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth, winner of the Colorado Book Award for Biography and the Barbara Sudler Award for Nonfiction. Her forthcoming book, Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats, will be published in June.

Daniel Allen Butler is the author of nine books and a maritime and military historian. Among his books are "Unsinkable" -- the Full Story of RMS Titanic" and "The Other Side of the Night -- the Carpathia, the Californian, and the Night the Titanic was Lost."

Janet Kalstrom became a docent at the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver after a 37-year banking career. As part of her work as a docent, she dresses in period costume to play Margaret "Molly" Brown at the museum.

As part of the Denver Post's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, we've invited five experts in some aspect of the tragedy to blog for our website. Their fascination with the topic, in many ways, mirrors the enduring fascination of us all with the story of the giant oceanliner that hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. Over the next month, our bloggers will provide us insights into the ship's history, the cultural context of the times and the passengers, including the indomitable Margaret "Molly" Brown of Denver who was aboard the vessel when it went down. One of our writers will even share her experience of participating in the Titanic Memorial Cruise, which sails in April from Southampton and retraces the route of the Titanic on its fateful voyage.